According to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, West Ham target Jesse Lingard is asking for around £180k-per-week to make the move back to the London Stadium this summer.

The Lowdown: Plenty of interest

The winger’s contract with Manchester United has now expired, making him a free agent on the market for any potential suitors.

ESPN reported last week that the 29-year-old has flown out to America to listen to any offers coming from the MLS, but the article states that there is still interest in the Premier League in the form of the Irons, alongside rivals Everton.

The forward turned down the offer to join the Hammers on a permanent basis last summer in an attempt to nail down a regular place at Old Trafford, but that clearly hasn’t stopped David Moyes from wanting to try again.

The Latest: Lingard’s wage demands

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Crook insisted that Lingard would only consider re-joining West Ham if his financial demands were met. He said:

“I’ve heard anywhere from £150k up to £200k-per-week. So £180k-per-week sounds about right, which I think they think is a lot for a 29-year-old, who actually didn’t do a lot last season at United.”

The Verdict: A risk worth taking

Despite the former United star not having the impact he would have hoped on his return to Manchester, he contributed a whole lot to Moyes’ starting XI when on loan with the Irons, and that form wouldn’t have gone unnoticed.

The Warrington-born talent made a remarkable 14 goal contributions in just 16 appearances across all competitions during his time in the capital, as per Transfermarkt, and proved himself to be a constant threat in the final third.

West Ham will know how much of a difference he made to the performance of the team, and whilst his demands are astronomical for a player currently out of regular practice, it’s a risk worth taking and would no doubt be one that pays off in the long term.